Category: News

The President of Armenia, Chairman of the RA National Security Council Serzh Sargsyan today invited a meeting of the National Security Council.

In the framework of the agenda, the RA Minister of Energy Infrastructure and Natural Resources Ashot Manukian reported on the draft strategy of the Concept for the Safe Management of the Radioactive Waste and Used Nuclear Fuel in the Republic of Armenia.

The concept stems from the RA national security strategy and is aimed at ensuring a continuous policy for the safe use of nuclear energy based on the international obligations assumed by the Republic of Armenia, safety standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as on the best international practices for the safe management of the radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel. The strategy is aimed at the utmost improvement of the management of the radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel in Armenia, development of cooperation with the entities dealing with the radioactive materials, as well as state and local governance bodies.

After the discussions, the President of Armenia stressed the importance of adopting the document and tasked the Prime Minister of Armenia to discuss with the Minister of Energy Infrastructure and Natural Resources and make a proposal on the timetable for the development of the RA Government strategy based on the provisions of the Concept for the Safe Management of the Radioactive Waste and Used Nuclear Fuel in the Republic of Armenia.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian reported to the members of the National Security Councils on the issue related to the organization of the Summit of Francophonie in Armenia in 2018 on which he was instructed by the President of Armenia at the working meeting held on December 2. At the meeting of the National Security Council it was decided to create an interagency commission on the preparation works for the Summit of Francophonie.

The President tasked the government to prepare in one month and present for the approval of the President the action plan for the organization and execution of the Summit of Francophonie. He also instructed to create a secretariat on the preliminary works and execution of Armenia’s presidency at the Organization of Francophonie.

The members of the National Security Council were presented also the report of the RA Minister of Labor and Social Issues Artem Asatrian on the RA Demographic Strategy and the list of events aimed at the implementation of the Strategy (for years 2009-2035), which was approved by the N 27 decision of the Government of Armenia adopted on July 2, 2009, their results and the vision related to the future development of this issue.

Greco-Roman wrestler Artur Aleksanyan has been named Armenia’s athlete of the year for the third time in a row. Aleksanyan won the Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro this summer.

The top 10 athletes of 2016 have been chosen as a result of survey among 35 sports journalists conducted by the Republican Federation of Sports Journalists of Armenia.

1. Artur Alexanyan, Greco-Roman wrestling
2. Mihran Harutyunyan, Greco-Roman wrestling
3. Simon Martirosyan, weightlifting
4. Gor Minasyan, weightlifting
5. Nazik Avdalyan, weightlifting
6. Harutyun Merdinyan, gymnastics
7. Andranik Karapetyan, weightlifting
8. Hripsime Khurshudyan, weightlifting
9. Varsham Beranyan, Greco-Roman wrestling
10. Artur Davtyan, gymnastics

Photo: Reuters

 

German police are investigating a “probable terrorist attack” after a man ploughed a lorry into a Christmas market in the heart of Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring 48, the  BBC reports.

The driver is an Afghan or Pakistani asylum seeker, according to security sources cited by DPA news agency.

He reportedly arrived in Germany in February as a refugee.

The daily Tagesspiegel said the man was known to the police for minor crimes, but not terror links.

“All police measures related to the suspected terrorist attack at Breitscheidplatz are progressing at full steam and with the necessary diligence,” Berlin Police said on Twitter.

German politicians had avoided branding the bloodshed a terror attack in the hours immediately following, but Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told ARD television, “there are many things pointing to one”.

People in Armenia’s capital Yerevan have been laying flowers in front of the German Embassy in Armenia today as a sign of sympathy with the German people.

A man ploughed a lorry into a Christmas market in the heart of Berlin last night, killing 12 people and injuring 48.

Photo: AP

 

President Serzh Sargsyan sent today a letter of condolences to the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel on the tragedy which took place in the center of Berlin, killing and injuring dozens of innocent people.

The President of Armenia strongly condemned the terroristic act and reiterated Armenia’s commitment to consistently continue the fight with international terrorism.

Serzh Sargsyan expressed condolences to the friendly people of Germany and families of the victims, wishing them strong spirit and a speedy recovery to all injured.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin had a meeting with Nicolas de Rivière, Director General for Political Affairs and Security at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The parties discussed the perspectives of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Reference was made to the ways of overcoming the Ukrainian crisis and issues on the Russian-French agenda.

“The launching of a criminal case against famous blogger Alexander Lapshin and his detention cause serious concern,” Press Service of the NKR Foreign Ministry said in comments to News.am.

Lapshin, who holds Russian and Israeli citizenship,  last Wednesday at the request of the Azerbaijani government over his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Azerbaijan, where harassment and political persecution against civil activists and journalists on fabricated pretexts have long become a tradition, tries to spread its “standards” of human rights beyond the borders of the country,” the Artsakh Foreign Ministry said.

“Such actions are not only an obvious violation of fundamental human rights, namely, the freedom of movement and freedom of speech, but also a policy of intimidation, which should be adequately assessed by the international community,” the Ministry said.

An Israeli blogger was arrested in Belarus last Wednesday at the request of the Azerbaijani government over his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh, reports.

Alexander Lapshin wrote several critical posts against Azerbaijan and its president, Ilham Aliyev, in recent months. His family is afraid that if he’s extradited to Azerbaijan, his life will be in danger.
Lapshin, 40, writes a blog in which he records his travels throughout the world, and writes about the various countries he has visited.

On December 13, he and his wife arrived in the Belarus capital, Minsk. A day later, shortly before midnight, Lapshin wrote on his Facebook page: “At this moment I was arrested by the police in Minsk at the request of Azerbaijan. I’m at the Piersamajskaja station in Minsk.”

The Azeri government claims that in April 2011 and October 2012, Lapshin visited Nagorno-Karabakh and wrote about the visits in his blog. After the last visit, Lapshin’s name was placed on the Baku government’s blacklist, and he in effect became a wanted man.

Last June, Lapshin entered Azerbaijan itself, using a Ukrainian passport. Because his name in Ukrainian is slightly different from the name listed in his Russian or Israeli passport, he was not arrested upon entering the country. After a few days traveling around the country, he left without any problem.

In subsequent blog posts, Lapshin criticized the poverty in certain parts of the capital, Baku; the dictatorial rule of President Aliyev; and the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Israel on Sunday asked Belarus to not hand over to Azerbaijan a popular Israeli travel blogger it arrested last week, the Times of Israel reports.

Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Romania have exchanged messages on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian’s message reads: 

Excellency,

It is with great pleasure that I am writing to you to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and Romania.

Romania was among the first states to officially recognize the independence of the Republic of Armenia on December 11, 1991, a short while after the proclamation by Armenia of its sovereign statehood. Days after, on December 17, the Agreement on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Armenia and Romania was signed in Bucharest, anchoring on centuries-old ties of friendship between Armenian and Romanian nations. In 1994, Armenia opened one of its first diplomatic missions in Bucharest.

Throughout a quarter of a century, the Armenian-Romanian relations flourished, based on high level visits and extensive political dialogue, a solid legal framework of over four dozens of bilateral agreements, the activities of the Armenian-Romanian Intergovernmental Mixed Commission on Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, and on the vast cultural exchanges carried out through successive Programs of Cooperation in the field of culture, education and science. Apart from bilateral dimension, our countries have enhanced cooperation within multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations, EU Eastern Partnership, International Organization of La Francophonie, and others.

The Armenian-Romanian relations have vastly benefited from the contribution of the vibrant Armenian community which for centuries has been present in Romania’s political, economic and cultural life.

Please rest assured that Armenia will continue to do its utmost to further strengthen and enhance the relations between our countries to bring to new heights our cooperation in the next quarter of century and beyond.

I would like to use this occasion to wish you and the friendly people of Romania prosperity and progress.

Your Excellency, please accept the assurances of my highest consideration.”

The formation of a new Lebanese government—which will be headed by  was announced Saad Hariri—was announced on Dec. 18, which includes two members of the Lebanese-Armenian community, the Armenian Weekly reports.

Armenians Avedis Gidanian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) and former Minister of State for Administrative Development Jean Oghassabian are a part of the new Cabinet, according to Armenia’s Hay Dzayn news outlet. Gidanian was appointed State Minister of Tourism, while Oghassabian will likely head the newly-created State Ministry for Women’s Affairs.

The four key ministerial portfolios—the Finance Minister, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Defense Ministry, and the Interior Ministry—were given to Ali Hasan Khalil, Gebran Bassil, Yaacoub Sarraf, and Nouhad Machnouk, respectively, according to Lebanon’s The Daily Star newspaper.

Hariri described his Cabinet as a national consensus government, underlining that it will “exert efforts during its short-term,” which will not exceed few months. “Its first mission will be to reach with the Parliament a new electoral law that abides by proportional representation and the right representation,” said Hariri, as reported by the Daily Star.

The Cabinet includes 22 newcomers and only one woman. Along with the State Ministry for Women’s Affairs, four other new ministries have also been established: State Ministry for Refugees Affairs, State Ministry to Combat Terrorism, State Ministry for Presidential Affairs, and State Ministry for Human Rights.